1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fuel tank construction of a motor vehicle, and more particularly to a fuel tank construction of a motor vehicle, wherein a tunnel projecting from the surface of a floor panel, connected at the rear end thereof to a back panel and disposed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is formed at the central portion in the widthwise direction of the floor panel, and a fuel tank is disposed in the tunnel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, in a motor vehicle, particularly, a passenger vehicle, a fuel tank has been disposed at the back of seats located at the rear end of a space occupied by occupants, whereby there have been imposed limits on the utilization of a space in the rear portion of the vehicle by the space occupied by the fuel tank.
To solve the above-described problems, it is conceivable that, in a rear engine--rear wheel drive type motor vehicle, a front engine--front wheel drive type motor vehicle or the like, in which a propeller shaft does not longitudinally traverse the undersurface of the central portion in the widthwise direction of the floor panel therebeneath, a tunnel upwardly projecting from the surface of a floor panel and disposed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is formed at the central portion in the widthwise direction of the floor panel, and a fuel tank is disposed in the tunnel, so that effective utilization of the space in the rear portion of the vehicle can be enhanced and a further reduced total length of the vehicle and decreased weight of the vehicle can be attained.
In the case of the motor vehicle of the type described, the fuel tank is adapted to be disposed at the lower portion of the center of the vehicle, thereby presenting the problems that construction of connecting an inlet pipe on the tank's side of a fuel tank to an inlet pipe on the body's side having a fuel pour-in port projecting to the outside of the vehicle body and connecting work become complicated, and construction of holding an inlet hose connecting the both members matters.